


There's Always the Exceptions

by mandaree1



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Being real like one cat dies, Death, F/F, F/M, Gay Cats, Lots of sarcasm, OCs - Freeform, Sarcasm, ThunderClan, WindClan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-23 01:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13777104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandaree1/pseuds/mandaree1
Summary: Stonepaw is a medicine cat whose mentor won't give him his name. Gooseleaf is his brother with a secret. Honeyflame may or may not be Stonepaw's mate, who also may or may not have recently helped their mutual friend Mousedapple with her desire to have kits. Reedstorm is a half-rogue in a Clan that's never forgiven her for it. They all collide.





	1. Chapter 1

Stonepaw woke with a grunt when dark ginger tabby paws hopped onto his back, startling him. "Wassat?"

"What a role model," Honeyflame teased as he stepped back, smugly curled his legs under him. Stonepaw grumpily did the same, eyeing the young warrior. "What would Whitestar say if he knew his medicine cat was sneaking naps at Sunningrocks?"

"He'd be proud of his son for working so hard that he tuckered himself out," Stonepaw meowed flatly, dismissing the concept with a twitch of his ears. "Speaking of slacking, shouldn't you be on patrol?"

"I'm hunting, aren't I?" he asked. "I'm grabbing lazy apprentices." Honeyflame nudged his shoulder with his paw, frowning. "Seriously, though, you should be more careful. Whitestar said no one was supposed to be here by themselves."

Stonepaw rolled onto his side, displaying his solid gray belly. "Aw, and what is RiverClan gonna do? I'm a peaceful medicine cat apprentice. I won't be in their way if they decide to invade."

"They could attack you," the young warrior said sensibly. "If they decide to try and take Sunningrocks back now, they aren't just gonna let you go scuttling back and tell on them."

The medicine cat laughed, shaking his head. "I have double immunity. You know that."

"Gooseleaf certainly doesn't seem to think so."

"Gooseleaf is a warrior. I'm not." Stonepaw shrugged. "If my brother wants to jump at every branch snap, there's nothing I can do to help him."

"I keep tellin' ya', Stone." Honeyflame reached out to boop his nose. "Gooseleaf's got a crush. Dunno who yet, but he totally does."

Stonepaw snorted at the thought. As much as he loved his brother, Gooseleaf was as stiff as the rocks under his paws. Even if he  _did_  have an interest in someone in ThunderClan, he'd be too embarrassed to bring it up. "Like you're such a master of romance yourself."

"I'll have you know I've had plenty of crushes in my time." Honeyflame winked. "Current gossip says you're the newest one."

The gray tom rolled over so their pelts were brushing. "I'm a medicine cat. Mates are an impossibility for me."

"Of course," he agreed, intertwining their tails. Just because they said those things, that didn't necessarily mean they meant them, and they acknowledged it with a quick, furtive look.

"So..." Stonepaw buried his muzzle in Honeyflame's scruff. "I hear Mousedapple is having your kits." He felt Honeyflame stiffen. "She's cute. Calico."

"Did she tell you that?"

"She stopped by and asked me for StarClan's permission beforehand. Very superstitious."

"She asked if it was okay for us to...?" Honeyflame's muzzle screwed up. "I'm so sorry, Stone."

He shrugged. "It's my job."

The warrior sighed. "It's not like that. Mousedapple and I are buds- you know that. She wanted a litter, so she asked me to be a donor. That's it."

Stonepaw blinked at him, surprised. "There's no need to be defensive. I wasn't mad."

"You weren't?"

"Why would I be? I mean,  _yeah_ , I was a little miffed you didn't talk to me, but we've never defined this-" he waved a paw between himself and Honeyflame- "as anything private. Besides, I'm still technically an apprentice."

"You really should've gotten your name by now, huh?"

"Tell that to Thornstripe."

"Maybe I will," he decided, standing up. "Let's go give him a piece of our collective minds, shall we?"

Stonepaw rolled his eyes. "You know he's not gonna say yes. I've begged, and begged, and eventually I got the hint and dropped it."

Honeyflame barred his teeth. "Thornstripe hasn't had a talking to from me yet."

* * *

"No," Thornstripe said as he pushed some leaves into a pile. They weren't herbs- just regular leaves he was playing with. "Stonepaw isn't fit for the position."

"Told you," meowed Stonepaw, unimpressed.

"Not fit?" Honeyflame echoed, scowling. "How could you say that? Remember when he got sick during that bout of Greencough? He kept right on tending to everyone else. Or when Gooseleaf got that bad belly wound? Stonepaw never left his side!"

"I heard my name?" another gray tom meowed as he poked his head inside, voice muffled around the feathers of a robin. Gooseleaf was technically Stonepaw's twin brother, though the warrior carried a nicked ear and a bad scar across his side, so it wasn't like it was hard to tell them apart. That, and Gooseleaf always came across as rigid and structured, while Stonepaw was far more lackadaisical. "I just stopped by to bring you some fresh-kill."

"Thanks." Stonepaw padded over to bump the warrior's shoulder with his nose, sighing. "Honeyflame's got an itch in his tail, is all."

Gooseleaf set the bird down, tail waggling. "When it comes to you, he almost always does."

"All I was saying is that Stonepaw should get his name!" Honeyflame cried in frustration, ears flat against his head. "Don't tell me you're against the idea yourself, Gooseleaf."

His brother frowned, straightening. "No, of course not." He dipped his head to Thornstripe. "I give him my blessing as well."

The brown tabby didn't look up. "He's not ready."

Stonepaw nudged Honeyflame and Gooseleaf in turn, trying not to feel hurt. The relationship between himself and his mentor had been tense since- well, longer than he cared to admit. He knew exactly why the old cat refused to give over his name, even though he  _also_  knew he could never dare tell the two warriors lest he ruin the tom's credibility. Stonepaw would never receive his name while Thornstripe drew breath. It was that simple. "C'mon, boys. Let's go eat in the clearing."

To his surprise, Gooseleaf was very resistant, trying to stand his ground against Thornstripe, but Stonepaw was insistent. A dark, contemplative look was in his eyes as he stalked off, fur bristling just slightly. "It's not fair!"

"I never said it was," replied Stonepaw mildly.

Gooseleaf reared up, flashing his fangs. "You need to be a full medicine cat!"

"For what?"

The fight left him immediately. Gooseleaf stared at his paws, embarrassed. "You've earned it, I mean. That's all." He broke into a trot. "Excuse me!"

Stonepaw watched as his brother ducked out of camp, baffled. He couldn't remember the last time Gooseleaf had decided not to eat with him willingly. He didn't know if he should be mad or concerned, so he chose a little of both.

Honeyflame leaned over close, muttering into his ear. "Told you. There's totally someone."

"We've never acted like that," Stonepaw meowed without thinking, instantly grateful no one had heard.  _Nice going, bird-brain. We're right outside the medicine den._  He flashed a nervous glance behind himself.  _Thornstripe would rip my pelt off if he knew._

The warrior nodded. "Well, considering how he's acting, there's only two real options here," he said. "Either they're sick and he wants your advice, or Gooseleaf is gonna be a papa and he wants you to be at their side when they give birth."

"Dear StarClan, I hope not," Stonepaw grunted. "I'm not ready to be an Uncle."

* * *

"Excited?" Stonepaw prompted as he ran a paw over Mousedapple's side, gently testing the waters.

"Happy as a 'paw with their first catch," she purred, rolling completely onto her back. "You asked that with such displeasure."

"I'm not interested in kits myself. That probably goes back to the whole medicine cat thing."

Mousedapple reached a paw up to gently shove his cheek. "Don't front with me, Stonepaw. Everybody knows you just don't like she-cats."

"A cat can not like she-cats and still like kits," he replied promptly, pushing her onto her side. "I just happen to do both."

The calico rolled over complacently, smiling blissfully. "You know, in a way, you'll be like a second dad to these kits. We could raise them together as one big friend-trio."

"We could do that," he agreed, then switched the topic. "You going to the Gathering, or have those kits made you lethargic already?"

Mousedapple willingly stood, their pelts brushing. The calico smelled like flowers and vole blood. "And miss Whitestar announce my pregnancy? Especially with the drama with Ashstar? It'd be criminal."

They padded out of the nursery together, joining the hustle and bustle of ThunderClan cats. Stonepaw noticed that Whitestar had picked the biggest and burliest of his warriors, not counting Gooseleaf (who, as the leader's son, got to go to most Gatherings anyway) and Mousedapple (a new queen to brag about), and waved a quick goodbye to Honeyflame with his tail.

Stonepaw tried not to think about the trouble they'd been having with WindClan very often. Clan politics weren't really his business, being a healer, and it had never been easy to see his father threaten battle, no matter how many arguments had broken out over the moons. Ashstar was argumentative, and quick to prod basically anyone, and Whitestar (in spite of his best efforts) had a big temper that was hard to curb. Stonepaw found it all pretty silly.

Gooseleaf bumped into him out of nowhere, lowering his voice. "I have someone I want you to meet at Fourtrees."

 _Uh-oh,_  Stonepaw thought. It was never a good sign when Gooseleaf whispered. "Is this one of those things that I end up regretting?"

"No," he said, already padding away. "This is one of those things  _I'll_  probably end up regretting."

* * *

Stonepaw very rarely, if ever, walked alongside Thornstripe, and it was even less surprising when the old tom went to the special medicine cat spot by himself, as Stonepaw liked to mingle for a bit first, so he doubted anyone noticed him slipping through the shrubs after Gooseleaf.

"So..." his brother meowed. "I'm sure you've heard some talk about me... well..."

"Having a date?"

"Something like that. I know how Honeyflame gets when a cat acts a bit weird."

"So you're agreeing that you're acting weird?"

"Of course." Gooseleaf sent him an entreating look. "You know I'd never lie to you, right?"

Stonepaw sighed. "Oh, dear, here it comes."

"What would you say if I told you I had a mate-type situation with a she-cat from another Clan?"

"I'd tell you you're an idiot," he answered bluntly, ear flicking. "But I suspect I'm about to meet said she-cat, aren't I?"

Gooseleaf nodded and led him deeper and deeper, trailing around the back edge of Fourtrees. Stonepaw didn't think many cats came back here, aside from sneaky young whippersnappers like themselves. Thorns clung to his gray pelt as they pushed through, but he decided not to complain just yet, sensing how fidgety Gooseleaf was becoming.

"Now, be nice," his brother whispered as he gestured for him to go first. "She can be a bit... edgy."

"Bro?"

"Yeah?"

"When you have to warn your brother that your 'mate-type situation' may try to hurt him, that's not a good sign."

"Shush, you."

Together, the brothers squeezed into a small little break in the general foliage that ran wild behind the Fourtrees. Stonepaw had never been so grateful for his naturally short build in his life, his ears just barely brushing what felt like pine needles. Gooseleaf twitched with anxiety, but there was something brighter and happier in his eyes.

 _Alright_ , he thought.  _I can do this. For Gooseleaf._

But then he found himself on his back, and there was a muzzle pressed painfully against his, claws threateningly close to his throat. "How do I know I can trust you?" a low voice growled.

"I mean," Stonepaw wheezed. "If you let me go, I _won't_  tell my dad about this, and he  _won't_  rip you to shreds."

"Stonepaw," Gooseleaf chided. "Relax, Reedstorm. He's my brother."

Reedstorm slowly back away, snorting derisively. "An apprentice still, at your age?" she meowed. "You must be really terrible at your job."

Stonepaw glanced up at Gooseleaf, not feeling quite safe enough to stop presenting belly. "I take it you're not the cuddles and cute nicknames type of duo, huh?"

"I wouldn't say that," his brother meowed.

Reedstorm eyed him for a long, tense few heartbeats, which gave Stonepaw the chance to eye her back. She was all-black, just as they were all-gray (and, wow, what a boring combination of colors), with a scar down the side of her muzzle. Her green eyes almost seemed to glow in the dark, and she reeked so heavily of rabbits she simply had to be WindClan.

"I thought you said we were going to someone reliable," she grunted finally.

"Stonepaw is my brother," Gooseleaf reminded her. "There's no one I rely on more."

"So, Honeyflame kind of prophesied this," Stonepaw meowed. "And he said that you're either sick or having kits."

Reedstorm lashed her tail. "What do  _you_  think?"

"Kits it is." He shut his eyes with a sigh. "I guess that means you want a medicine cat to help with the labor."

"Yes, please." Gooseleaf rolled him onto his side. "And to keep this a secret."

"Forever?"

"For now. Just until we can figure out what to do next."

 _What to do next? You're mates. This is common sense._  Stonepaw sat up, whiskers twitching crankily. "Not to ruin the moment, but we're Whitestar's only kits. He's gonna notice if we both vanish for too long."

Reedstorm seemed to accept this, pressing her head to Gooseleaf's in a quick farewell. "We should talk more about this." She spared Stonepaw a look. "In private."

Gooseleaf chuckled. "Stormy, we both know you won't be satisfied, no matter who we chose. At least, this way, it'll be in the family."

_Stormy? Suddenly, Stone doesn't seem nearly as silly._

Thornstripe shot him a berating look as Stonepaw took his seat down, face unreadable. The petty complaints of Ashstar and Whitestar seemed both more meaningless  _and_  more terrifying all at once.  _The warrior code has a story for this- Cloudberry and Ryewhisker. Cloudberry got pregnant with Ryewhisker's kits, prompting him to throw himself in front of her in battle, ultimately killing him._  He scratched his side distractedly.  _Gooseleaf is so caring and kind- he'd do basically anything for someone he loved. If he's that into Reedstorm, he'll do it in a heartbeat._ _Does he even realize what he's getting himself into?_


	2. Chapter 2

Stonepaw carefully plucked a yellow flower out of the ground, holding it between his teeth for a moment, contemplating, before setting it next to the rest.

There were very few things the apprentice and his mentor could actually discuss without fail, and one of those things was stories. Thornstripe and Stonepaw both loved them. Most of the pleasant memories Stonepaw had of the old tom was of those odd days they spent sunning in the clearing, quizzing each other on various cats. Who was the kit the owl spared for a dingy mouse? Who was Acorntail's leader? Who was the ThunderClan leader that Brindlestar complained about, despite trying to steal prey from his territory? (That one was a personal favorite of his. Whitestar- the same name his father bore.)

He knew the story of Cloudberry and Ryewhisker pretty well- better than the average warrior, anyway. He knew Ryewhisker's justification: Emberstar of RiverClan was a friend of Thistletail of ThunderClan, and would understand. He knew what sparked the battle: an accusation of stolen fish. Stonepaw knew that Ryewhisker's killer had no set name: some said it was Stonestar, deputy at the time, punishing him for protecting the enemy. Some insisted it was Hawkfur, angry that Ryewhisker had pulled him off Cloudberry, though that seemed more unlikely. Hawkfur was a black tom. Ryewhisker's killer was a gray tabby.

Stonepaw knew it wasn't wise to compare Gooseleaf to a story such as that. He didn't see Gooseleaf as the next Ryewhisker, or anything mouse-brained like that. He just wondered if his story would be as known one day, and what part he would play in it.  _Who am I kidding? Medicine cats never get remembered._  He shook his head at himself.  _Especially ones that don't have their names yet._

Crackling twigs made the gray tom tense, but it was only Whitestar, the large tom slipping out of some shrubs with a smile. Stonepaw and Gooseleaf both took after their mother, and it showed as the white tom got closer, his long fur sticking up and out like a pricker bush.  _You can barely tell we're related!_

Whitestar sat down, his long tail wrapping around Stonepaw's side. "Which herb is this, son?"

"Coltsfoot." He batted a flower over. "What's the leader of ThunderClan doing out in the middle of the woods alone?"

"I'm not alone. I'm with you." He bent down, eyes narrowed as he inspected the flower. "It's for shortness of breath, right?"

"For once, you're not wrong."

Whitestar smiled smugly, eyes bright. "I'm learning after all. Only took me more seasons than leaves on a tree." He sniffed the coltsfoot a bit, then reluctantly put it back. "I need to talk to you about your brother."

"Oh, boy," Stonepaw sighed, leaning onto the tom's side. "What did he do now?"

"Oddly enough, that's usually what he asks me."

"So you  _do_  gossip about me to Gooseleaf. I knew it."

"It's all out of love, Stonepaw." Whitestar elbowed him. "I'm just concerned that he's straining himself, is all. His mind is elsewhere, and he never thinks to eat with me anymore. A couple mornings ago he could barely put one paw in front of the other. I don't think he's sleeping very well."

Stonepaw bit his lip. What could he say?  _No biggie, dad, your son is just out having forbidden cuddles with a she-cat from the Clan we're specifically pissed with this moon?_  That'd go over like a bat with a hole in its wing. "You know how he gets, dad. Always trying to be the big warrior in camp."

"I know," he agreed. "Would you please talk to him? You're a medicine cat; he'll listen to you. If  _I_  say anything, he just starts going on and on about how I'm being an uppity overprotective father."

"This is true," Stonepaw observed. "But if I talk to him he'll know I'm your middle-cat."

"Nonsense. Just rattle off some medicine cat terms at him."

"'Hey, bro, have you gotten the proper amount of wild garlic and StarClan visions in your day?'"

Whitestar laughed, laving a lick between his ears. "That was perfect."

* * *

Stonepaw picked up Gooseleaf's trail halfway back to camp. He set the coltsfoot down outside the medicine den, then went back to follow it. The gentle warmth of Greenleaf made the trip pretty enjoyable, full of big leaves brushing his fur and green grass under-paw. The scuttling and scuffing of prey. The faintest hint of a border patrol tickled his nose.

 _He didn't sneak off to see Reedstorm, did he?_  Stonepaw shook the worry away.  _Not in the middle of the day. No one is that mouse-brained_.

Instead, he found the warrior tucked against a tree, a freshly-killed sparrow at his paws. Gooseleaf knew birds were his favorite type of prey, and tried to bring him them often. To Stonepaw's surprise, he was laying on his side, a paw draped over the fresh-kill, snoring.

Remembering his last rude awakening from Honeyflame, Stonepaw instead opted to grab and tug at his tail. "Wake up, fuzz-head."

Gooseleaf pulled the bird closer to his chest. "S'too early."

"It's almost Sunhigh."

That got him to lift his head, blinking sluggishly. "Already?"

Stonepaw sighed with frustration. "Look. I'm not gonna tell you not to go see your mean warrior date from WindClan in the middle of the night. But you're loading your schedule too much, bro. None of us even noticed you were seeing her before."

"Yeah, and I missed her a lot when I did it that way," he mumbled stubbornly into his paws. "Besides. She's having kits. We have to prepare."

 _Prepare for what?_  Stonepaw thought again, but wisely didn't ask. "And, for the love of StarClan, spend some time with dad. He actually tried to figure out what herbs I was gathering. And he was _right_."

"Oh," Gooseleaf said. "Dear. That's not a good sign." He awkwardly scooped the prey up, dipping his head. "I'll work on that."

* * *

"Hey, Stonepaw?" Mousedapple meowed. "What were the names of the cats who died in the first battle?"

"Fircone, Hawk's Swoop, Frost, Rainswept Flower, Falling Feather, and Jackdaw's Cry," he answered without opening his eyes, lounging comfortably on his back. "Why do you ask?"

The calico shrugged. Her belly was already starting to bulge a little. "I know it's too early to settle on names, but I wanted to get some basic ideas."

Stonepaw's nose wrinkled. "Jackdawkit would be a pretty big mouthful."

Honeyflame, his chin nestled on the calico's back, cracked open a single eye. "Mousedapple, I know they're your kits, but I will give you  _anything_  if you promise not to name one of them Firconekit."

"They're  _our_  kits," she returned with a sniff. "Which reminds me. Neither of you told me if you were down with raising them with me or not."

"What would I even be in this weird little relationship we've got building here?" Stonepaw asked. "An Uncle? I don't think a medicine cat is allowed to be a dad."

"Are you saying that no warrior-turned-med-cat has had a litter beforehand?"

"I'm  _saying_  they usually ditch said litter so they can live with fancy plants."

"You like fancy plants," Honeyflame said.

"I like them better than I like kits."

"Hey, now!" Mousedapple kicked him playfully in the side. "Why do we have to give it a name? We're just friends raising kittens together."

"Toms being toms," Stonepaw snorted.

"Gals being pals," she shot back. "Silly titles aside, friends raise kittens together all the time. Feather's sake, my mom shared a nest with another queen."

"Goody."

* * *

"You know, this is becoming a habit between us," Stonepaw meowed after Reedstorm bowled him over, claws digging into his pelt.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, ears flat. "This is WindClan territory, rabbit-brain!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed." He purposefully wiggled around in the heather, tail swigging back and forth. "Lovely place you've got here, by the way."

Reedstorm reluctantly got off him. Stonepaw sat up, taking a quick look around. If a patrol happened to catch his scent, he was close enough to Fourtrees that he could call it a mistake. Medicine cats don't care about territory lines- it's basically the one well-known medicine cat thing. If Ashstar wants to make a fuss out of it, she's gonna have to go through her  _own_  healer to do it. "I'm just trying to stay in the loop, okay? Gooseleaf has been as forthcoming as a rock."

"How is spying on me 'staying in the loop'?"

He shrugged. "It helps me get a better look into who you are."

Reedstorm took a step forward so they were nose to nose. "I'm the warrior that's about to kick you out of her home!"

Stonepaw was unmoved. "You mind if I give you a check-up before I go? It won't take long."

The black she-cat let out a long sigh. "It's like you don't even realize."

"Realize what?"

"That being Whitestar's son doesn't magically exempt you from everything!" Reedstorm snapped. "Nothing does!"

Stonepaw's tail whisked around his paws. He looked contemplative. "I never thought it did."

"You sure act like it," she spat.

"Well, yeah." The medicine cat apprentice shrugged. "It's a running joke. But I never thought that." Stonepaw hesitated. "Well, actually, I think I did believe it, once. But then Gooseleaf got into that nasty fight, and I got Greencough, and I learned."

Reedstorm blinked at him, surprised. "I didn't know you could do sincerity."

"I can when I have to," he assured her. "So, about that check-up?"

Stonepaw is more than a little surprised when she agrees, laying on her side. Her limbs bunch and strain with barely restrained energy as he runs his paw over her stomach, tail kinked and ready for action. "It's waaaay too early to tell, but I like to make bets beforehand, so I'mma say two kits."

"Just two?"

"Two is plenty. My dad would know."

Reedstorm hesitated, clawing at the long grass. "I need to tell you something. About me and Gooseleaf."

"I swear to StarClan, if there's a  _third_  cat from another Clan that I've not heard about-"

"We're leaving for ShadowClan at half-moon."

Stonepaw stopped mid-word, jaw hanging open. "ShadowClan? Are you serious?"

She nodded. "That way, we won't have to worry about ThunderClan and WindClan's rivalry." Reedstorm pulled a face. "And, despite my name, I'm really not into swimming, so RiverClan is out."

The gray tom could feel himself trembling.  _What will I do without Gooseleaf?_  The thought was too much to bear. Sure, he had Whitestar and Honeyflame and Mousedapple, but Gooseleaf had been by his side through it all. They were brothers. "Oh."

"Are you okay?"

Stonepaw turned away. "The check-up is over. May StarClan light your path."

* * *

He stumbled through Fourtrees in a daze, trying to seem even a little put together. He really didn't want to have Whitestar notice his odd behavior- he wasn't sure he could hold himself together.  _A medicine cat's first loyalty is to his Clanmates. Gooseleaf came to me for confidentiality, and it is my duty to give him that. But how can I go on with him as my enemy from another Clan?_

Stonepaw jumped with an unbecoming shriek when a heavy weight latched onto his tail. He whirled around to see Honeyflame in all his dark ginger tabby glory, ears pricked and tail high. "So, who's the molly?"

He lashed his tail and didn't reply, narrowing his eyes.

"I'd wondered why you were so chill with Mousedapple," he went on. "And now I know why. You've been seeing Ms. Attitude." Honeyflame laid his tail on Stonepaw's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. If anything, it's showed me that we gotta work on our communication. A relationship between a warrior and a med cat is difficult enough already."

"She's not with me!" Stonepaw blurted out, ears hot. "Reedstorm is Gooseleaf's mate, okay?"

 _Wow_ , he thought. _I'm starting to side with Thornstripe. I really_ don't _deserve to be considered a full medicine cat._

Honeyflame stared at him. "Gooseleaf? The stiffest warrior in ThunderClan?" He slowly shook his head. "I'm baffled but also happy for him."

Stonepaw couldn't take it anymore. He buried his muzzle in Honeyflame's fur, breathing in his scent with a tiny whimper. Honeyflame immediately wrapped himself around the tiny tom, twice his size and all muscle. "Hey, hey, hey. What's wrong?"

Against his better judgement, he told him.

"ShadowClan?" Honeyflame's whiskers twitched. "They're really pulling out all the stops, aren't they?"

"What am I supposed to do with that?" Stonepaw meowed. "My brother's about to ditch me and dad for his girlfriend and kits-to-be."

"If it makes him happy, it makes him happy." A cold nose brushed his head. "That doesn't mean it's any easier to accept, though."

The gray tom groaned. "I have to go with this, don't I?"

"You don't have to," Honeyflame disagreed. "But it'd break his heart if you turned him away."

Stonepaw groaned again. "I hate being the bigger cat. I'm super tiny for a _reason_."

The warrior laughed, giving him a quick lick. "Well, if anything, I'll be here for you every step of the way. I'll step on a thorn so I can sleep in the medicine den."

" _Please_  don't step on a thorn."

"I will  _absolutely_  step on that thorn."

* * *

Stonepaw is waiting quietly when Gooseleaf slipped out of camp, tail around his paws. "Reedstorm told me."

"I know," he admitted. "Walk with me?"

"Why do you think I'm here?"

The chirp of crickets filled the tense silence between the two brothers as they walked through the territory. It was Gooseleaf's last night in ThunderClan, and it showed, the warrior stopped at practically every tree and bush, brushing his nose against the bark and leaves.

Stonepaw's heart felt like it was tearing in two.  _Just stay with me. You're clearly going to miss it here._

Gooseleaf walked on. Stonepaw followed.

The reek of the Thunderpath was like a fog as they approached. Stonepaw set a single gray paw on it, testing the hard texture, then instantly drew it back, regretting it.  _Now my paw smells gross._  In the distance, the pine trees of ShadowClan rose like rocks, silent and still.

All too soon Reedstorm was slipping out of the shadows, face perfectly blank. Stonepaw wondered if she'd miss WindClan. She certainly didn't seem very happy there. Gooseleaf trotted over to meet her, bumping their heads together. In spite of the somber occasion, Stonepaw felt a little jealous.  _I could never be that open with Honeyflame. It's one thing when we're alone at Fourtrees, but in the middle of the territory? I wish._

Gooseleaf was back at his side before Stonepaw could blink, resting his muzzle on his brother's head. "I love you," he whispered, shifting closer. "We'll still see each other at Gatherings."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Stonepaw forced himself to pull back, glancing at Reedstorm. "You better take care of him, you hear me?"

Reedstorm solemnly nodded.

Gooseleaf nudged her hindquarters. "You go first, darling."

For a brief, hopeful second, Stonepaw thought that meant the warrior had something left to say, but Gooseleaf's eyes were trained on Reedstorm as she carefully crossed. She looked back, green eyes flashing.

"Goodbye," Gooseleaf whispered, and then he was sprinting across.

Stonepaw closed his eyes, refusing to call out. The apprentice turned to walk away, but a rumbling stopped him in his tracks, fur raising.  _A monster!_ He was moving before he could even process, racing after Gooseleaf. There was gravel on the Thunderpath, kicked up by other monsters, tripping Stonepaw. His jaw collided painfully with the hard rock. He bit his tongue.

A deafening roar echoed in Stonepaw's ears as a bright light washed over the other half of the Thunderpath, signaling a monster on the hunt. Gooseleaf stopped, his eyes drawn to the brightness, trying to see what was wrong. He moved as slowly as a dream.

Stonepaw screeched his name.

The monster was there one heartbeat, gone the next. Gooseleaf crumpled under its tires, thudding to the stone without even a yelp. He was still. Too still. Stonepaw wobbled over in a flash, skittering on the gravel. He buried his nose in Gooseleaf's pelt. He smelled of monster, Thunderpath, and a sickly-sweet scent that made his entire world crumble.

_He's dead._

_Gooseleaf's dead._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, that's a thing that happened, huh?
> 
> -Mandaree1


	3. Chapter 3

The air felt bitter and stale as Stonepaw pressed his nose into Gooseleaf's pelt, too shocked to think of moving from the Thunderpath. If a monster hit him now, he wasn't sure he'd feel it. _You promised we'd see each other at Gatherings, Gooseleaf. You promised._

Hesitant pawsteps made his ears prick, and through the stench he could just barely catch a trace of Reedstorm as she approached, touching his shoulder with her muzzle. She didn't say anything, content to grieve together.

Stonepaw wasn't content.

"Go away!" he shrieked, whirling around. His claws brushed her cheek. "How can you sit here and mourn when this is all your fault?"

"My fault?" Reedstorm cried, appalled. "Gooseleaf suggested ShadowClan!"

Stonepaw bared his teeth at her. He didn't care about blame, really. He just wanted to be left alone. "He wouldn't have suggested it if you two didn't decide to have kits together! Everyone and their mother knows it's against the code!" He turned away, stiffly sitting back down.  _Ryewhisker died under a warrior's paws. He didn't even get that._  "Haven't you done enough?"

Quietly, purposefully, he heard Reedstorm pad away. Not into ShadowClan; towards Fourtrees. She was returning home.

_Good. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon._

* * *

Stonepaw doesn't remember falling asleep on Gooseleaf's body. One moment he's grieving, waiting for another monster to zoom by and spook him to reality, and the next he's in the leader's den, Whitestar laying with his back to him. He missed Honeyflame and Mousedapple and their playful camaraderie like it'd been ten seasons since he'd seen them last, but he needed his father more than he needed them.

"Dad?" he whispered.

Whitestar lifted his head. Stonepaw didn't think he'd been sleeping. The bulky white tom set his chin on Stonepaw's head, letting out a long sigh. "Oh, Stonepaw..."

"He's gone," he said into his scruff. "Gooseleaf's gone."

"I know." Whitestar was shaking a little bit with the effort it took to keep him together. "But he's not in pain now. Getting hit... I can't even imagine the agony he must've gone through."

Stonepaw dug his claws into the moss.

"He's in StarClan now. We need to remember that."

 _If that makes you feel better,_ Stonepaw didn't say, but contemplating saying, knowing full well even the implication would shatter what was left of his father's heart.

* * *

Thornstripe was waiting for Stonepaw when he waddled into the medicine den, eyes downcast, his claws clogged with dirt from burying the body of his littermate. "Who was the LeopardClan warrior who won the river?"

"Fleetfoot," Stonepaw mumbled as he passed. "She defeated Rage and Fury, so Goldenstar and Shadestar gave LeopardClan the river forever."

Thornstripe nodded along. "Nice to see you haven't lost all your wits."

"You hate my wits," he meowed, falling into his nest.

"Like a thorn in the rear," the old medicine cat agreed. "But I'm not without some level of humanity towards you. Take as long as you need."

Stonepaw opened a single eye. "I'm not still a 'paw because of my wits."

Thornstripe turned away. "Maybe, if you respected StarClan, you wouldn't be a 'paw anymore."

He snorted and rolled over. "I'll respect in your star cats when they show they actually care. I mean, just imagine. Gooseleaf's death being orchestrated by a bunch of angry dead warriors. I couldn't handle it."

"So you choose not to believe at all," he growled disapprovingly. "And make a mockery of a medicine cat out of yourself."

"I never said I didn't  _believe_ ," Stonepaw argued, only half-awake. "I just think it's mouse-brained that a bunch of old warriors say who do or don't die. There's no peace in that. It's just a blood war." His gray tail lashed. "Gooseleaf is dead. Let him stay that way."

* * *

"Reedstorm should be giving birth soon," Honeyflame mumbled into Stonepaw's fur. They'd both moved into the nursery once Mousedapple got into the later moons of her pregnancy. "I mean, she was just behind Mousedapple, wasn't she?"

"Who's Reedstorm?" Mousedapple asked tiredly. They'd only just managed to get the kits to fall asleep before the sun set. Stonepaw took mental tally of them- the calico pelt of Hawkkit, the pale ginger Frostkit, tiny brown tabby Rainkit, and little runt Featherkit. "That name sounds familiar."

"It's no one," Stonepaw meowed, bending down to clean Featherkit's head. The rusty tom liked sleeping next to the two toms, despite the medicine cat's clear discomfort around kittens. "No one important, anyway."

Honeyflame batted at his ear, frowning, but said nothing to correct him.

* * *

True to Honeyflame's word, Reedstorm was practically bursting at the next Gathering. Stonepaw didn't think a queen that close to kitting was allowed to leave camp, but it soon became apparent why she'd gone when she purposefully rammed into his side, muttering a quick, "Meet me where we first met" under her breath before disappearing.  _Because that's not ominous at all, or anything._

Stonepaw waited until the next day to go. He didn't want to. He really, really didn't want to. But she was carrying Gooseleaf's kits, and he figured it was his duty as his brother to see what the hangup was.

"I'd wondered if you'd come," she admitted as he settled in beside her, the scent of pine needles and decay in the air.

"I'm still very angry with you," Stonepaw meowed. "But that doesn't make me any less of a medicine cat."

"Some medicine cat. You don't even have your full name."

"Wow, good one. Never heard that before." His gray tail whisked smoothly over some leaves. "You can leave, for all I care. Clearly my name matters more to you than my ability."

Reedstorm took in a deep, steadying breath. "You really aren't like him, are you?"

Stonepaw didn't reply.

"I can't live in WindClan," the black she-cat blurted out, unsettled by the quiet. "Not- not like this. Look. My mom... she never cared about the code. Ashstar's made that my problem from day one. And now, having a ThunderClan cat's kits... I can't just stay."

"Alright. What does this have to do with me?"

She shrugged. "Ashstar won't let me leave camp like this. Not until after the kits come. I'm shocked she let me come to the Gathering. It'll have to be after..." Reedstorm fixed her dark green eyes on him. "Can I say they're your's?"

Stonepaw's blood ran cold. "Are you serious?"

"Not for forever," she insisted. "But if I tell her they're Gooseleaf's, she'll just say he's dead. I don't want my kittens to go through the same rabbit-dung I went through." Reedstorm shuffled her paws. "Besides. Whitestar's more likely to accept me if the father is one of his living sons."

"Whitestar would allow you in even with Gooseleaf dead," he said. "He loves us a lot. Me and Gooseleaf, I mean. He doesn't know you."

"Of course."

"When we were little, he took us everywhere. I remember, once, he was about to take us on patrol, and Thornstripe came over and reminded him that kits weren't supposed to set paw on the territory outside of camp. So he hauled us both onto his back and strutted away, saying that we wouldn't  _touch_  anything." Stonepaw found himself chuckling a little. "It's one of my favorite memories, actually."

Reedstorm's tail lightly fell across her belly. "I hope I have good memories with my kits one day. In ThunderClan."

"ShadowClan is still an option, you know."

"Not after what happened."

"The Thunderpath is in ThunderClan, too."

"I know."

Stonepaw glanced up at the stars. They looked icy and cold to him- if his brother was really up there, he wasn't watching tonight. "Fine. But you better hope that at least one of them look like Gooseleaf or we're doomed."

Her eyes slid shut. "Don't remind me."

* * *

"WindClan!"

Stonepaw winced, wanting more than ever to bury his head in his paws. But that wouldn't do him any good. He stood and stretched, deciding it was best to meet the end of his career head-on.

Outside, ThunderClan was abuzz with activity as cats swarmed in and out of their den. The familiar gray tabby visage of Ashstar sent a prickle of fear down Stonepaw's spine. But then Honeyflame was by his side, claws digging into the dirt, and he thought,  _okay, I can do this._

Reedstorm padded into the camp with her head high, a white tom in her jaws and a smaller silver tabby tom on her back. Her eyes met his. Stonepaw swallowed and forced himself to move forward, accepting the white tom without complaint.

"That's Maplekit," she meowed, then gestured to the silver tabby. "And this is Stagkit."

_Thank feathers she didn't name them Goosekit and Leafkit. I might have ripped her ears off._

"Stonepaw?" Whitestar meowed, hopping down from some rocks. He met Ashstar with even strides. "Ashstar, what is going on here?"

"It seems your son has been with my warrior," Ashstar replied, glancing at the two of them. Her gaze was even. Calculating. "I suppose it's to be expected. Reedstorm has always been a wild card."

"Is that so?" Stonepaw's father asked, voice hushed. "While I respect your urge to bring this to my attention, I can't comprehend why you would drag a newly-kitted queen so far from home."

Ashstar shook her head. "ThunderClan can be her home now, if you will it. I won't have code-breakers in my Clan." Her tail lashed. "You would've thought her mother taught her that lesson."

Reedstorm's scruff rose, but her jaws were full of fluffy kitten fur.

"Honestly!" a disgusted voice scoffed, and Stonepaw jumped at Mousedapple's familiar calico form next to him. The queen glared at the two leaders. "I don't care if they're the kits of  _dogs_ , they deserve protection and support." She nosed the black molly's shoulder. "Come with me, Reedstorm. We'll make you a nest in the nursery."

Reedstorm blinked at her gratefully. Stonepaw followed with Maplekit, the white tom letting out a cry of hunger.

* * *

"I'm Honeyflame," the dark ginger tabby reached his muzzle out to touch noses with Reedstorm, smiling. "My job is to follow Stonepaw around, basically. Mousedapple is my friend-mate, so you'll be seeing a lot of me."

"Friend-mate?" Stonepaw asked rhetorically. "You've finally figured out the name for it, huh?"

Honeyflame purred, wrapping himself around Stonepaw. "Something like that."

Reedstorm glanced between the two of them, eyes wide. "Ooooh. I see."

"Can we play with the new kits, mama?" Rainkit begged eagerly, but Mousedapple pulled the kit away with a shake of her head.

"They're too young, dear." She planted a lick on the wriggled kitten's head. "You've had a rough three moons, haven't you, Reedstorm?"

"Something like that," she agreed wearily. "I'm hopeful that living in ThunderClan might make it a bit easier on me."

Mousedapple touched their paws together. "If anyone gives you trouble, just point me at 'em. StarClan knows better than to get in the way of a queen and her kits."

"StarClan might, but I'm not StarClan," Whitestar said as he poked his head inside, effectively startling all of them. "So, if I may?"

"You might as well."

The leader padded into the nursery with Thornstripe hot on his heels, garnering a displeased twist of the muzzle from Stonepaw. "I'd like some answers, if you're up for it," he meowed, sitting down. "Stonepaw, everyone and their mother knows you don't like she-cats. And don't try to lie to me, either."

"They're Gooseleaf's," Reedstorm explained. Whitestar's eyes flickered to her almost immediately. "I just didn't think Ashstar would let me leave if she knew my mate was dead, you know?"

"She can be... protective," he agreed. "But it's really none of my business. How she leads." Whitestar stretched his neck out to brush Stonepaw's forehead. "She's going to call for you to be taken from your position, you know."

"I know," he murmured, eyes slipping shut at the thought.

Thornstripe rolled his eyes at the scene. "You'll be fine."

Whitestar turned to glare at his medicine cat. "You've said quite enough today, thank you very much. If anything, you should honor your apprentice's bravery."

"You say that because he's your son. Not for what he's actually done."

"I say it for both reasons!" he snorted, turning back to Stonepaw. The gray tom shrunk back at the fire in his eyes. "And, if you won't appreciate him,  _I_  will."

"Dad?"

"Son, I'm not a medicine cat. By all laws, I can't do this officially. But I love you, and I respect you, and you've earned this more times over than any medicine cat before you." Whitestar's nose touched the very center of his head. It was cold, while his breath was hot. "I name you Stoneflower, for your kind heart and dedication, and I hope to see many seasons with you by my side."

_What?_

"Stoneflower!" Honeyflame called, practically screeching it with his excitement. Mousedapple and Reedstorm both joined in. "Stoneflower! Stoneflower!"

Stoneflower stared at his paws, then twisted around to stare at the cats chanting his name, unable to believe it. After so long of accepting his name as immobile, it'd finally been honored. Honeyflame smiled warmly at him, and he smiled back, so happy he could barely breathe.

As he left, Thornstripe gave him a parting nod, as if he were a foe who had conquered him. Stoneflower didn't know if he felt proud of that or not, but he also knew he didn't care about the old codger's approval. Not anymore. Not for a long time now.

* * *

Featherkit wriggled between Stoneflower and Reedstorm, settling with his tiny nose in the medicine cat's chest. Stagkit shot a paw out in complaint, kicking him square in the ear, but Featherkit hardly seemed to notice, snoring already.

Stoneflower let out a tiny little laugh at the moment. He still wasn't very fond of kits, but his life had become overrun with them, one way or another.  _Maybe it's for the best. Honeyflame and I can be open if I'm a warrior._ Still, he didn't want to give up so easily. If Whitestar was willing to argue for him, he was willing to withstand anything it sent his way.  _I'm a medicine cat. It's part of who I am._

In the silence, Reedstorm spoke. "My mother fell in love with a rogue."

"I know," he said back. "Everybody knows."

An acerbic giggle left her throat. "Yes, well, she never knew how to be subtle." Reedstorm paused, staring at her newborns. "When I was an apprentice, she gave me a lick on the head and said goodbye. Went to go live with him, I suppose. Or to travel. It really gnawed at Ashstar's tail."

"They were littermates, weren't they?"

"Half-sisters," she corrected drowsily. "Same father, different mother. And they weren't all that close. At least, I never got that kind of vibe off them. But I think Ashstar took it personally all the same. She got on me all the time because she wanted me to be  _better_."

Stoneflower sniffed. "That's a really mouse-brained way of looking at it."

A sleepy grumble accompanied a bulky paw smushing into Stoneflower's face as Honeyflame stretched. "Less drama. More sleepy times."

"Alright, alright, you oaf." He lightly shoved the warrior before laying his head down. Featherkit's little nose brushed his chin. It was oddly adorable how trusting he was. "I'm not actually mad at you, you know. I  _want_  to be, but... I don't know you, you know? I can't be mad if I don't know enough about you to hold it against you."

"Well," Reedstorm offered. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other."

"Hm," Stoneflower grunted, eyes sliding shut. It was comforting, in it's own right. That, if nothing else went right over the rest of his seasons, he had a name and someone to be cranky at.

That night, he dreamed of Gooseleaf, the warrior curling around all of them, tail brushing Stoneflower's cheek. He looked proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyy, I finally finished this! I know that a lot of characters weren't as fleshed out as normal, but it's a tiny little story, so I suppose it's to be expected. I still really like the names Stoneflower and Honeyflame tbh. Those names are keepers. Mousedapple is a pretty dope name too.
> 
> Originally, I intended for Stoneflower to be escorted to WindClan and come back with Reedstorm and the kids, but it felt weird to have such a weird scene change for one little area when everything else had taken place in ThunderClan/Fourtrees.
> 
> Until next time!
> 
> -Mandaree1

**Author's Note:**

> Literally just ended Berry Paint, still got Resilience to do, but you bet I'll dive into yet another random OC story. If anything, this one is only gonna be a three-parter- four at max- so no biggie there.
> 
> There's no set allegiances here because, since it's short, it's kind of like one of those stories in the warriors handbooks- no set allegiances, set in the middle, etc etc. This one is all about exceptions to the warrior code- Gooseleaf, super loyal and kind, is with a WindClan cat (Reedstorm's just really paranoid, she's a good warrior overall), Stonepaw being refused his medicine cat name (more on that later), Honeyflame being his mate, that type of thing.
> 
> -Mandaree1


End file.
